River Run a homecoming for local star

5K an annual event for Lyons HS state champion

It has been three years since Andrew Roberts lived in Lyons on a full-time basis, but it's special any time he gets a chance to run a race in his hometown.

On Sunday, the 2009 Lyons High School graduate will be a part of the Lyons River Run 5K field once again.

"The chance to go back and support the community and see people who I haven't seen for a few years," is his favorite aspect of the race, he said. "It is always a good way to reconnect and check back in on people's lives."

Roberts won multiple state titles in cross country and track and field during his decorated career at Lyons. After two years at Colorado State University, he recently finished his first year at Adams State College.

During his three seasons of college running, Roberts has experienced quite a different pace and mentality to the sport, compared to what it was like in high school.

"There is always an adjustment going from being at the top of the pack as far as high school and then moving into the college system and being just another guy," he said. "It has been a good growing experience and I have steadily improved, but it is an altogether different mentality."

That is especially true in track and field, he said.

"It is more about racing for times than racing other people for most of the season until you get to conference and the other end-of-the-year races," he said.

"Whereas in high school you know the guys that youare racing and it is a lot easier to know what to expect.

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Transferring to Adams State provided Roberts with another unique experience. His younger sister, Melissa, graduated from Lyons in 2011 and went to Adams State to run, and Andrew joined her there.

"Any time you go into a new program, then there is an adjustment period and so it takes some time to adapt," he said. "But overall it has been a good growing experience, and I have really grown and matured as a person through it."

In terms of results, Roberts said it's difficult to compare what he did in high school to what he's done in college, "because of the variations in distance and the competition."

There certainly has been improvement, however. He ran a 14-minute, 30-second 5K this spring during the outdoor season, 1:02 better than his best high school time. During high school, he ran a 10K (at the Bolder Boulder) in 33:30, but has posted a 29:57 in college.

Those improvements are nice, but Roberts said that's not necessarily where he's grown the most since leaving high school.

"While I don't know that I have improved quite as much as I would like (in terms of results), I have definitely grown as a person through the experiences," he said. "So it has done a lot to help me gain a better understanding of running in general, and the Lord has gotten me through it and shown me a lot in the midst of it. In all of it I couldn't have done it with out my faith as a Christian and both my family and my church family there to support and encourage me."

Roberts has always felt a lot of support from those around him, which makes the Lyons River Run a special event for him. He said he has participated in this event in 12 of the past 14 years.

"It has always been kind of a early summer check point and a way to get back into my summer training and see where I was," said Roberts, who was second in this event a year ago. "But I enjoy getting to go back and run in Lyons, just because there are so many years of training and racing in the town and it was always a very supportive community for me, so it is good to go back and be apart of it again."

Of course, Roberts won't be the only member of his family participating. His family is well known for their love of running and Andrew said there would likely be a handful of family members running the race on Sunday.

Having family will make it fun, but Roberts is taking a business-like approach to the race, as well, as he sets his sights on his senior year of college.

"This week is more of a training run and just see where I am," he said. "I am just getting back into my summer training and it is always easier to jump in a race than do a workout. So I am looking to have some fun and get some good work in."

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